Hayes: Hog backlog will grow

July 16, 2020
News

Dr. Dermot HayesDermot Hayes, professor, was interviewed for a July 16 HuffPost story, "Hog Euthanasia Threatens To Return This Fall."

As the rising number of piglets collides with strained slaughterhouse capacity, progress toward clearing the hog backlog will begin to reverse in about a month, and likely keep growing through October, according to Iowa State University agricultural economist Dermot Hayes. Whether or not meatpackers get hit disproportionately by a second coronavirus wave, hog farmers will once again find themselves struggling with the decision of what to do with a glut of pigs they can’t sell into the food chain.  

“It will happen,” Hayes told HuffPost. “It’s almost certain. We will have more pigs than we have the capacity to slaughter.”

As the rising number of piglets collides with strained slaughterhouse capacity, progress toward clearing the hog backlog will begin to reverse in about a month, and likely keep growing through October, according to Iowa State University agricultural economist Dermot Hayes. Whether or not meatpackers get hit disproportionately by a second coronavirus wave, hog farmers will once again find themselves struggling with the decision of what to do with a glut of pigs they can’t sell into the food chain.  

“It will happen,” Hayes told HuffPost. “It’s almost certain. We will have more pigs than we have the capacity to slaughter.”


Hayes was quoted in a July 20 Feedstuffs article, "Secretary of State Pompeo holds ag roundtable."

Earlier this year, U.S.-China Phase One Trade & Economic Agreement was announced. In the deal, China pledged to purchase $36.5 billion worth of American agriculture products in 2020 and $43.5 billion in 2021. This was up from $24 billion in 2017 before the trade deal. However, according to Iowa State University economist Dermot Hayes, China needs to import an additional 18.5 million metric tons (570 million bu.) of U.S. soybeans as well as other agricultural products from now until the end of the calendar year to meet this 2020 target.

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